An Enterprise Architecture Compliance checklist helps ensure that an
organization's IT systems and processes align with established standards and
business goals. It typically covers various aspects like security, data
management, technology choices, and alignment with business strategy. A
comprehensive checklist often includes sections for hardware and operating
systems, software services and middleware, applications, information
management, security, and system management.
Here's a breakdown of key areas and considerations within an Enterprise
Architecture Compliance checklist:
1. Security:
Data Protection: Does the system protect sensitive data (employee,
customer, financial, PII) with appropriate encryption, access controls, and
data retention policies?
Authentication and Authorization: Does the system implement robust
authentication and authorization mechanisms to prevent unauthorized
access?
Security Standards: Does the system adhere to relevant security standards
and best practices?
Threat Mitigation: Has the design addressed potential security risks and
threats?
2. Data Management:
Data Integrity and Consistency: Does the system ensure data accuracy,
consistency, and reliability?
Data Governance: Does the system comply with data governance policies
and regulations?
Data Storage and Retention: Are data storage and retention practices aligned
with organizational policies and legal requirements?
Data Integration: Does the system facilitate seamless data integration with
other systems?
3. Technology and Infrastructure:
Hardware and Operating System: Does the system utilize supported and
compliant hardware and operating systems?
Software and Middleware: Does the system leverage approved and well-
supported software and middleware?
Performance and Scalability: Does the system meet performance and
scalability requirements?
Technology Standards: Does the system adhere to established technology
standards and guidelines?
4. Applications:
Application Design and Development: Does the application design adhere to
architectural principles and best practices?
Application Functionality: Does the application meet the functional
requirements and business needs?
Application Interoperability: Does the application integrate effectively with
other systems?
Application Security: Does the application incorporate appropriate security
measures?
5. Business Alignment:
Strategic Alignment: Does the system support the organization's strategic
goals and objectives?
Business Processes: Does the system align with and improve key business
processes?
Cost and Efficiency: Does the system contribute to cost reduction and
operational efficiency?
6. Architecture Governance:
Compliance Processes:
Does the organization have established processes for reviewing and ensuring
compliance?
Architecture Review Board:
Is there a designated Architecture Review Board (ARB) to oversee
compliance?
Documentation:
Are architectural decisions, rationales, and compliance status documented
thoroughly?
Change Management:
Does the organization have a change management process for architectural
changes?
7. Specific Considerations:
COTS (Commercial Off-the-Shelf) Software: Is the vendor reliable, and has
the software been tested for the organization's specific needs?
Cloud Compliance: If using cloud services, are there specific compliance
requirements to consider?
Regulatory Compliance: Does the system comply with relevant industry and
regulatory requirements?
By using a comprehensive checklist like this, organizations can proactively
identify potential issues and ensure that their enterprise architecture
remains aligned with business goals and industry best practices.
